Downloading and updating the desktop app

How Passwork Desktop Downloads Work

This article explains what happens when a user clicks Download Passwork Desktop application in the web interface, or when an already installed app checks for updates.

Selecting the right app version

• The Passwork server knows which app versions are compatible with the current backend version.
• The backend configuration defines the update server base URL in the DESKTOP_SERVER_BASE_URL environment variable.
• Using this base URL, the backend requests special .yaml files from the update server (for example, latest.yml, latest-linux.yml, latest-mac.yml) with available build metadata:
  • specific app version (format XXYYZZ);
  • installer URLs for different platforms;
  • checksums and auxiliary fields.
• Based on this file and the supported Desktop feature version, the backend:
  • selects a suitable and compatible app version for this server;
  • builds the final installer link for the user's platform.

Important: the backend does not "guess" versions and does not fetch installers directly from a public repository. It always relies on:

• its own understanding of the supported Desktop feature version;
• .yaml manifests available at DESKTOP_SERVER_BASE_URL.

For details about the update server structure and latest*.yml files, see General update server overview.

Returning the link and client-side download

After the backend selects a version and builds the URL:

• The generated URL is returned by the backend to the client:
  • either as a response to a web interface request;
  • or as part of the update check for an already installed app.
• The client side then sends an HTTP request to the update server:
  • the request goes directly to a URL like DESKTOP_SERVER_BASE_URL/XXYY/XXYYZZ/ and downloads a specific file (.exe, .dmg, .deb, .rpm, etc.);
  • the file is installed or consumed by auto-update logic (depending on platform and scenario).

In short:

• the Passwork application server handles version selection logic and generates the correct URL;
• the update server (defined by DESKTOP_SERVER_BASE_URL) handles actual file distribution;
• the client (browser or installed Passwork Desktop app) performs download, installation, or update.

For administrators, this means:

• to let users download and update the app, it is enough to:
  • configure DESKTOP_SERVER_BASE_URL correctly on the backend;
  • ensure the update server is reachable and contains up-to-date .yaml manifests and installers.